Rhizomatous plant 40-50 cm. Leaves as tall as stem, sword-shaped, glaucous green, 2.5-3.0 cm broad. Flowers purple-violet, terminal, 1-3 on the main and lateral shoots. V - mid-spring to late autumn, in St. Petersburg May-October. Fl - May for 2-3 (4) weeks. Fr - August. P - by division and by seed. Does well in sunny and semi-shaded positions. Z 4.

Central Asia (Tien Shan). In foothills, on grassy and stony slopes.

The closely related species I. imbricata Lindl. (I. sulphurea C. Koch) occurs in the southern and eastern Transcaucasus, northern Iran and northern Anatolia. Flowers sulphureus yellow, and leaves broader than in I. albertii. Prefers semi-shaded places.